


Wildflower

by themidnightartemis



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Attempted Kidnapping, Bartenders, Cabin Fic, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Logan Lucky vibes, Loneliness, Mental Illness, Military Backstory, Mutual Pining, Protective Ben Solo, Secrets, Sex, Soft Ben Solo, Southern AU, Touch-Starved, thats not how the force works, there's only one bed
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-20
Updated: 2021-01-15
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:53:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28198701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/themidnightartemis/pseuds/themidnightartemis
Summary: When you don't want to be found, you go to Takodana, Tennessee.But sometimes running isn't enough.
Relationships: Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 6
Kudos: 22





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter starts out in Ben's perspective, then switches to Rey, then the last short section is a mixed perspective.

There wasn’t much when it came to Takodana, Tennessee. The small town was nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains, surrounded by forests and pastures, quiet and forgotten. There were only a few thousand residents that made up the small town- most ran cattle, some farmed, some mined. It was the type of town you either wanted to desperately leave or were content to be stuck in, not much in between. In the case of Ben’s father, it was a place you came to hide and, eventually, live out the rest of your life. 

Takodana’s only real claim to fame was it’s small history, ripe with moonshine and murder (much like the rest of the mountains), and the bar at the center of it all. The cantina had been there for well over a hundred years. And most people in town couldn’t remember a time before it was run by Maz, much less her parents. If she even had parents. Hux had a running theory that Maz was immortal, but Ben was certain that people just didn’t care. Not really. He had learned not to when the war took his hand and life took most everything else. 

That was until she walked into his life. 

“Another beer, Ben?” Rey raised a soft brow. 

Stupid. Completely stupid how much he loved to hear her say his name. It would never happen. Ben gave a curt nod and went back to shelling peanuts. A moment later, there was a fresh beer in front of him and Rey moved down the bar to help another customer. If his eyes watched her leave, well, that was neither here nor there. Half the reason he stayed at the bar so late was because of her and the other half… Ben preferred not to think about. So, beer. 

There were only a few other people at the bar, but the rest of the place was pretty full for a Thursday night. Jess and Kaydel and Rose kept coming in and out of the kitchens with plates of food and bringing orders up to the bar for Rey and Poe. The pool tables were filled and a group of women had even started a line dance on the dance floor, taking turns picking songs on the jukebox. 

“Thought I’d find you here.” 

Ben tore his eyes away from her back as Hux took a seat beside him. Ben took a sip of his beer as Hux set down his own. “I’m always here.”

“Still pining after her? It’s a bit sad, man. Have you ever thought, maybe, about making a move? I mean come on.” Hux turned his eye to Rey, watching as she expertly made an old-fashioned and set it on the bar. She was wearing a dark green flannel with a white tank underneath tonight and jeans that should be illegal. 

“Don’t.” Ben growled. 

Hux only sighed and clapped him on the back. “I’m just saying.”

“She doesn’t want me.” Ben knew that much. The last time he had tried, he had made an ass of himself and was a complete ass to her. He was pretty sure Rey hated him. But even if she didn’t, no one wanted a broken man. Ben flexed the robotic hand that had been attached to his arm for ten years. It hadn’t always been robotic- that had been an upgrade from his mother for Christmas five years ago. 

Hell of a Christmas present. 

“Whatever you say.” Hux, thankfully, shut his mouth as Rey came back down the bar to take care of an older gentleman who had just sat down at the end. “She totally just smiled at you.”

“Shut up, Hux. You’re worse than a teenage girl.”

Ben focussed on trying to shell peanuts with his bad hand as Rey worked in front of him. 

“Long day, right?” 

It took him longer than he wanted to admit for him to realize that Rey was talking to him. Looking at him. He quickly cleared his throat as his surprise nearly tossed his bowl of peanuts across the bar. “Ah, yeah.”

Rey gave him a small smile. Did he smile back? Was he already smiling? Hux chuckled beside him. Ben cleared his throat again. She looked like she was going to say something else when a man down the bar snapped for her attention. Rey gave Ben a small sigh and hurried off to help him. 

“ _ Ah, yeah?  _ Smooth, man. Real smooth.”

“Don’t you have something better to do?”

“Then sit here and bother you on a Thursday night? Not in a million years. I’ve got time for all that other stuff. Plus, you need my help.”

“I don’t need your help.”

“Remind me. How long has it been?” 

Ben growled, low in his chest. Hux didn’t care. The man had seen it all in the twenty years they had known each other. “How long, Benny-boy?”

“Four years.”

“Four years. That ain’t healthy.” Hux shook his head and took another swig of his beer.

“Not like you’ve done any better.” Ben huffed. 

“I have a valid excuse. You’re just sad. Pining. It’s getting boring and you’re really my only form of entertainment.”

“Wow, thanks.” Ben squeezed the peanut shell hard enough in his bad hand that it turned almost to dust in his palm. 

“Fine. I didn’t want to have to do this, but… You’ve forced my hand here, Ren.” Hux sighed dramatically as he finished his beer. “Pour one out for me will ya?”

“What-”

Ben watched in horror as Hux reached over the bar. 

“Stop-”

Hux grabbed one of the taps and yanked. A fountain of carbonated water spewed from the tap in a giant, high powered stream that hit the back wall of the bar. 

He was going to murder him. Ben whipped around to face the man, but Hux was already gone. A loud curse alerted him to the fact that Rey had noticed her bar was flooding. 

“Shit! Son of a bitch!” Rey clapped her hands over the broken spout, but only succeeded in spraying herself, Ben, and half the bar. Surprised shouts filled the bar. Before he could really think about it, Ben was over the bar and behind it, dipping under the sinks to find the shut-off valve. He finds a red handle in the back and yanks it down, but not before being completely soaked himself. 

When he comes back up, Rey is staring at him, dripping wet. Her white tank top has soaked through to reveal a hot pink bra underneath. Ben sucks in a deep breath as he tries to look anywhere but there. Her eyes. That’s a good place right? He wonders for a second if she’s going to yell at him, blame him for whatever Hux had done. Instead, her lips crack into a smile and her hand claps over her mouth as a giggle escapes her lips. Ben fights back a smile, losing the battle as Rey keels over laughing. 

...

“Morning, Maz!” 

“Rey Niima!” The small woman popped up from behind the bar, a rag and a spray bottle in her hands. There were a few regulars sitting at the bar, drinks in hand, and soft conversations on their lips. None of them batted an eye. “How ya doin', hun?”

“Not so bad.” Rey stepped behind the bar and made her way to the back rooms to drop off her bag. As she set her bag down, the strap snapped and Rey let out a groan. So this was going to be what today was like. She set down her bag. There had to be a sewing kit around somewhere. She had no idea how to sew, but how hard could it be?

She was still frowning at it when Rose walked in to toss her purse down. “Hey, girlie. Bag broke?”

“Hey. Yeah. Do you have a sewing kit?” 

“Hmmm…” Rose’s face scrunched up as she thought. “I don’t think so. I don’t do a lot of sewing. One of the other girls might. You think it will be busy tonight?”

“Maybe. There’s not a lot going on, though. It’s only Thursday.” Fridays and Saturdays tended to be their busiest days when there were a lot more out of towners. There was a string of local and semi-local bands that liked to come in and play. According to Maz, once in a blue moon, even some of the big shots from Nashville showed up in disguise to find new talent or try out new songs. She claimed that Springsteen had written half of Born in the U.S.A. while sitting at her bar. 

Rose pulled on her apron as Rey opened the safe to grab her til and headed out to the bar. She swapped out drawers and double-counted her starting cash and checked in through the automated system. And then, it was just another day at work. 

Until she dropped a bottle of whiskey, shattering it everywhere. And Poe showed up late claiming a flat tire. Then when the dinner rush came in not one, not two, but four separate drinks got sent back. One Karen with a bad chunky highlight job complained to her for five minutes straight about the bathrooms needing to be restocked. And that was all before 6:13PM. Rey only knew the time because that was the exact moment Ben Solo walked through the doors each night. Like clockwork. 

Rey didn’t quite know what it was about him that always made her breathe deeper. A weight off her shoulders. They had barely spoken ten words to each other in the two years that she’d been bartending there. He was a staple. The bar never felt quite complete without him. 

So what if he was a little bit shy and awkward and… Okay, a little bit on the strange side but most mountain folk were if she was perfectly honest. He had that red flannel on today- the one that hugged his broad shoulders just right over his black t-shirt. And somehow his hair was always flawlessly wavy. It really wasn’t fair. He was tall, towering over everyone in the bar like a gentle giant. 

Rey watched as he stopped at the memorial by the door. It was filled with pictures and mementos of the long-gone, soldiers who’d fallen in battle and kids who died in car crashes and really, anyone who anyone wanted to remember. It was a special Takodana tradition dating back since before anyone could remember. Ben looked at it for a moment before reaching for a long shot glass that stood on the small shelf. He tossed it back and Rey looked away, turning back to her work. She admitted that she was curious. She’d looked at that photo that he always looked at before. It was of a platoon, somewhere in the middle of the desert, a bunch of guys in camo and helmets. She had no idea which one was him, though she was sure that he was in that picture somewhere. 

No one talked about it and she was smart enough to know not to bring it up to him. 

“Uh-oh, Rey. Looks like your boyfriends here.” Poe nudged her and winked. 

Rey scowled. “He’s not my boyfriend.”

“Sadly.” Poe gave her a dramatic sigh. “If he was, I wouldn’t have to watch you pine after him every damn night. Make a move girl or nothing will change.”

“He does not like me. And you know it.”

“I honestly don’t know what you see in him, biscuit.” Rose set her tray down on the counter as Rey whirled to look at her two co-workers. “Maybe it’s the hand, but the guy gives me the creeps.”

“Does everyone in this damn bar know?” Rey hissed. Poe only snorted. 

“Anyone with eyes, sweetheart.”

Rey scowled. “He’s not my boyfriend. He’s never going to be my boyfriend. And you all can just drop it.”

“We’ll drop it when you drop it.” Poe ducked to narrowly avoid the damp rag Rey chucked at him. The rag missed him, only to go flying back and hit the try of empty glasses Rose had brought with her. The small woman gasped, trying to catch everything and almost succeeded. Rey cringed as a beer glass shattered on the ground. 

This fucking day. 

Rose waved her off before Rey could go grab the bar’s broom. To top it all of, the man in question didn’t seem to be in any better of a mood than she was. He only grunted softly as Rey set down his favorite beer in front of him. She was pretty sure he didn’t care for her. 

Not once in two years had he shown an ounce of interest. Rey was certain he only knew her name because he heard someone else call her it. She never saw him with any other woman though, so maybe he just wasn’t into dating. Gay maybe? But he hadn’t shown any interest in Poe either, and Poe was like a magnet for men. 

It was nothing but a stupid crush. At least that was what she always told herself. Deep down, in a place she didn’t like to go much, she knew it was something deeper than that. That maybe he was just as sad and lonely and angry at the world as she was. 

Nothing between them in two years had changed, so there was no reason for it to be any different tonight. Rey brought him his beers when he ran dry and every once in a while he ordered food. But mostly the guy just sat there quietly, eating peanuts and drinking beer and mumbling to himself sometimes. He usually had three or four beers, sometimes five before he’d shake his head when she asked if he wanted another. He’d ask for one for the road, and she’d pour him a shot of Corellian whiskey. He’d leave it at the memorial before taking off for the night. 

Some people hated the monotony of small towns. Rey had been one of those people once until… Until she had to be. It was the one place on the planet where Plutt wouldn’t look for her. And Maz was kind enough to not ask questions. 

“Another beer, Ben?” She stopped in front of him with a little smile. He jumped a little at her voice as if he were surprised she was talking to him. She wanted to know where his mind was when he was thinking like that. 

He gave her a short nod and she grabbed his beer for him. 

Another patron flagged her down and Rey made her way to them, trying not to glance back at Ben. Maybe Poe was right. She should just make a move. 

This day couldn’t really get any worse, could it?

All she had to do was just talk to him. She moved down the bar to grab one of the top-shelf bottles, stopping in front of Ben. “Long day, right?”

_ Long day, right? Long day, right?!  _ Rey groaned inwardly. Ben hadn’t even looked up from the peanut bowl.  _ Oh, Jesus fucking christ he didn’t even hear me.  _

She was about to turn away and pretend like nothing even happened when Ben looked up at her with those deep brown, beautiful eyes wide with surprise. “Ah… Yeah.”

He looked back down right away and Rey all but ran to the other side of the bar. That went so damn well.  _ Just peachy. Fuck you, Poe. Fuck this day. Fuck my life.  _

_ And fuck that whiskey.  _

Rey pulled a shot glass and a bottle of her favorite local whiskey and poured herself a shot. Poe cast her a small look like he had seen what happened then wriggled his thick eyebrows. 

“No. You were late. You don’t get one.” Rey recapped the bottle and Poe pouted before disappearing into the backrooms. 

Just as her day only got better. 

One moment everything was fine, the next- chaos. A fountain of sparkling water arched from the bar to the back wall. Rey cursed and raced forward trying to stop it with her hands, but only succeeding in getting soaking wet and spraying half the patrons. 

_ Son of a bitch. Oh god. _ She was going to flood the bar. She was going to have to buy everyone who got sprayed a round of drinks. She was already behind on loans she couldn’t- 

There was a dark blur beside her and Rey turned to see Ben landing on her side of the bar, dropping to the ground to reach beneath the sinks. A moment later the water stopped and Ben emerged, looking like a sad, wet puppy lost in the rain. His eyes flickered down to her chest before snapping back up to her face. Did he just look at her tits?

He stared at her and she stared at him. 

It was stupid how attractive he was even now. 

A bubble of laughter forced its way out of her mouth and Rey clapped a hand over her mouth. The entire bar was looking at her. Ben made a frowning face and his brows furrowed even further and Rey knew at that moment she was done for. She laughed until there wasn’t even any noise coming out of her and Ben looked equal parts concerned and entertained. A small smile grew on his lips. 

It was the first time she had ever seen him smile. It was the most beautiful smile she had ever seen. And it would never be hers. 

...

Was he crazy for wanting to kiss her right now? 

Ben fought back the feeling as Rey struggled to catch her breath. He was crazy. He knew it. Everyone else knew it. Even she knew it. 

But when she looked back up at him and looked two seconds away from crying, he couldn’t find it in himself to give a damn. “I’m sorry.”

She huffs a small laugh and shakes her head. “Why? It’s not your fault.”

Of course, she hadn’t seen Hux. He didn’t know how to explain, so he just shrugged. She’s still got that little smile on her face, the one that shows off her dimples, the one he dreams about more than he should. Ben realizes he’s staring when a blush rises to her cheeks. 

“Well, ah… Thanks. For, you know, shutting it off when I panicked.” She holds his gaze a moment more before turning away from him and grabbing a dry towel. “Can I get you another beer?”

She asks right as he says, “You’re soaked.”

Rey glances down at her shirt and lets out a little sigh. “Fuck.”

“Here.” Before he can stop himself, Ben reaches over the bar and grabs his flannel from the stool. He more shoves it at her rather than hands it to her, but Rey takes it anyway. 

“Oh, thanks.”

“Hey! Can we get a towel or something over here? Please?” 

Rey jumps, suddenly remembering that she’s at work with a bar full of patrons who she just sprayed with seltzer. “Of course. I am so sorry about that.”

She leaves Ben standing there as she hurries to the back, running into Poe on her way. “Tap broke. Need towels. Angry customers.”

“What? Rey!” 

Rey doesn’t stop for him as she strips off her flannel and top and bra and throws on Ben’s shirt. The smell of it hits her and Rey stumbles. This is what he smells like? Woodsy and leather and pine and smoke. The shirt dwarfed her, leaving her drowning in it. It was long enough to be a dress, so she harvested her belt from her jeans and stripped them off before tying her belt around her waist. She hated dresses, but it was better than getting chafed thighs from wet jeans. Rey grabbed a pile of towels and hurried back out to the bar. 

Poe, bless his heart, was already busy with a stack of towels and taking half off orders for the splash victims. Ben was still behind the bar with a towel in his hand, trying to mop up some of the mess with the most solemn and determined expression she had ever seen on a man. 

Rey hurried over to him. “It’s okay, you don’t have to help.”

“I don’t mind.” Ben gave her a small smile and reached out his good hand for a towel. It was only then that he noticed she was already wearing his shirt. And no pants. Ben swallowed thickly as Rey handed him a pile of towels and started mopping up the mess. 

She was wearing his shirt. 

She was wearing his shirt. 

He had to get out of there. 

Ben dropped his pile of towels. “Actually, I- uh- I have to go.”

“Wait, what?” Rey stood, watching as Ben rushed out from behind the bar and out the door. 

Did she do something? Say something? Rey stared down at the mess at her feet. 

Fuck this day.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See END of CHAPTER for content/trigger WARNINGS

It wasn’t until Ben had been gone for three days that Rey began to worry. They had a routine. And though she knew that his routine had started long before she arrived in Takodana, she knew that he had never disappeared without warning for more than a day or two at the most. Usually, it was Fridays he avoided because of the crowds, but he was always,  _ always _ in on a Sunday. 

She had even replaced his shot of whiskey on the memorial for him. It didn’t feel the same without it. Without him. 

Rey knew it was going to drive her crazy if she didn’t figure out what happened that night. He’d left so suddenly. One moment it seemed like… Rey wasn’t sure… Like it was fine? She didn’t want to say it seemed like things might actually change when almost nothing had. That was just a bit too desperate for her tastes.

She technically knew where he lived; It was a small town. And she still had his shirt to return, so what was the harm in stopping by? That’s what Rey kept telling herself as she turned into his drive and made her way up to the small wood cabin. There was a small shed to the left of the house with a small roof angling off of the side to form a dry place for firewood. The little homestead seemed quaint and cozy. There was an old pickup truck parked in the drive and rocking chairs on the porch and a tendril of smoke rising from the chimney. It was just far enough out of town to be surrounded by trees on all sides. There was even a little garden with a high fence. As she shut off the engine, the front door opened and Ben appeared at the front door, ax in hand. 

So, maybe this wasn’t a great idea after all. 

He blinked at her and furrowed his brows like he didn’t like or believe what he was seeing. The guy didn’t seem to get many visitors. Rey grabbed the flannel and climbed out of her car. Ben only frowned harder. After a second, he turned away and disappeared back into the house, closing the door behind him. 

_ Ummm. What? _

Rey looked behind her, confused. 

_ What the hell is this dude’s problem? _

Well. She was leaving his shirt here if he liked it or not and, goddammit, she was going to figure out what she did to him. Rey marched up the drive and the stairs and crossed the porch to knock on the door. “Ben. I know you’re in there.”

Rey heard no reply but the shuffling of footsteps inside. She tried knocking again and sighed. One of the curtains on the windows drew back slightly before snapping shut again. “I just wanted to return your shirt, I guess. And thank you again. And, well, check up on you. I haven’t seen you at the bar in a couple days and I- well- I guess I was worried. And I just wanted to make sure you were okay. And I guess I wanted to know what I did wrong? Maybe it’s stupid. You don’t have to explain yourself to me. I’ll just leave the shirt on the chair out here.”

Rey turned away to set the flannel on the chair. Her stomach sank as the door stayed closed. As she took a step down the stairs, the door unbolted and creaked open. She turned back to see Ben in the doorway. He looked paler than usual with dark circles under his eyes, but Rey couldn’t help but smile at the sight of him. She tried to bite it back, not knowing what was going on in the man’s head. He looked lost almost as he ran a hand through his hair and glanced at the flannel Rey left on the rocking chair. “You didn’t have to bring it back.”

His voice was low and gruff like he hadn’t spoken to anyone all day. As far as Rey could tell, he hadn’t. 

Anyway, did he want her to keep it? “It’s your favorite one. Of course, I brought it back.”

“How’d you know that?”

“What?”

“How’d you know it was my favorite?”

_ Oh.  _ Rey grinned. “You wear it all the time. I don’t think I’ve seen you not wear it at least once a week.”

“You noticed that?”

Did he think she didn’t spend far too much of her day noticing him? Rey was sure he would have noticed her looking at him by now. Seemed like the rest of the bar did. “Yeah.”

He nodded like he didn’t quite believe her but didn’t want to fight about it. 

Rey took a step up the stairs and Ben almost seemed to flinch back. She stopped, knowing what that meant, at least to her. “Will you be at the bar tonight?”

Ben glanced back over his shoulder. For a second it seemed like he was listening to something, but whatever it was, Rey couldn’t hear it. Ben grunted. “I’ll be there.”

Rey grinned. “Okay, err, I’ll see you there. Buy you a beer. I feel like I owe you one for saving my ass.”

Ben gave her a small smile, which was better than nothing, and Rey returned with a little wave. She hurried down the steps and back to her old pickup truck. It was really Maz’s old truck, but Rey drove it the most out of anyone. 

She didn’t really work tonight and, usually, she liked to avoid the bar on her days off, but if Ben was going to be there, she was going to be there. Poe was right. It had been too long. Something had to change. She only hoped that it was for the better.

...

Ben shut the door behind himself and pointed to the man on the couch. “Not another word.”

“Was that her? She reminds me of your mother.” The man got up and ambled across the small living room to peek out of the window and watch Rey’s truck drive away. He scratched at his rough grey beard. “Yep. I think you owe me five bucks.”

“What part of not another word don’t you understand?” Ben ran a nervous hand through his hair as he hurried to the kitchen and started throwing open drawers.

“I understand perfectly, kid. Doesn’t mean I’ll quit talkin’. Have you called your mother lately?” The man leaned against the entryway wall, a lit cigar in his hand. Ben scowled as he yanked open another drawer and rustled through it, not finding what he was looking for. 

“You know I haven’t called her. I don’t want to call her. She’ll just get worried and then she’ll talk me into going up there and I’ll do it and hate every second. Cause she refuses to come here.”

“You’d hate that, too, kid.” He took a long puff of his cigar and blew it into the air. 

“Can you do that outside?” Ben shut the drawer with a slam.

“It’s my house, Ben. I’ll smoke inside if I want to.”

“Not your house anymore.” Was it upstairs? It was probably upstairs. Ben pounded up the short flight of stairs to the lofted master bedroom. 

“You should call your mother. And that girl.”

“I don’t want to talk to you, Han.” Ben pulled open the bedside drawer and grabbed the pill bottle inside. 

“Well, who do you want to talk to then?”

Ben unscrewed the cap and swallowed two. “Hux.”

Han sighed and took one last puff on his cigar. “Fine.”

“God, you look like shit.”

Ben rolled his eyes and took a look in the small mirror mounted to the wall. “Better than you.”

“I highly doubt that. So, date night?” Hux tore open the closet doors and began rifling through Ben’s shirts. 

“Not a date.” Ben frowned at himself in the mirror and ran a hand over his stubble. It wasn’t a date. 

“She asked if you were going to be there, right? Said she would buy you a beer?”

Ben took a deep highly annoyed breath. “Not a date. If it was a date, I’d be buying her a beer.”

“Sure. Whatever you wanna think, man. Good to know that it just takes her coming over to get your mopey ass in gear. It’s seriously sad watching you do nothing but drink beers and fall asleep on the couch with your arm half off. Hey, maybe you’ll actually get some tonight. Now that is a new side of Ben Solo I’d like to see.” Hux shuffled through the masses of flannels and t-shirts. 

“I will whoop your ass if you do any more shit near her again.” 

Hux only snorted and tossed a flannel and a shirt down onto the bed. “I’d like to see you try. Also, wear this. Or you could be really bold and wear the one she brought back.”

Ben stared at the shirt and flannel on his bed and pressed his palms to his eyes. Or tried to. Somewhere between the kitchen and the bedroom he’d taken his arm off. “I’m not going.”

“Bullshit you aren’t.” Hux pulled open the bottom drawer of the lone dresser and sifted through the pairs of jeans within. “You know how long I’ve been trying to wingman you with this chick? I gave you the perfect set up Thursday and you blew it. I mean come on. She was soaking wet in your shirt. How the hell- These ones. They make your ass look… Eh. Par.”

“As opposed to sub-par?”

“That’s the spirit.” Hux lobbed the jeans across the room at Ben. “Shower. Shave. Cologne to hide the scent of self-pity and avoidance. Little bit of teeth brushing and hair care and you’ll be good as new. No one will be able to tell you’ve been having a mental breakdown because you fucked up your routine. And you know the best way to fix that? Get back into it.”

“You’re starting to sound like the doc.”

Hux narrowed his eyes at Ben. “Maybe you should give her a call, too.”

Ben looked down at the bottle in his hand. “She’ll only try to get rid of you again.”

“Have you ever considered that might be a good thing? It’s been ten years, Ren.”

“I’m not having this conversation tonight.”

“Good. Then you’re going to the bar. And you’re letting Rey buy you a drink.” Hux took the bottle from Ben’s hands and tossed it on the bed. “And I swear on my great-granny’s knickers I won’t break things tonight.”

“Somehow I don’t believe you.” 

The short redhead placed a hand across his heart as he pretended to swoon. “You wound me.”

...

He wasn’t going to show up. 

Rey stared at the clock above the bar as it drifted closer and closer to seven o’clock.

The bar was full and raucous. There was definitely a giant birthday party that had rented out the back rooms and requested a line dance night, so the dance floor was packed and she only got a seat at the bar because she was a woman. 

With any other person, she would have considered this prime date-night atmosphere. The music was loud and the drinks were flowing and the dance floor was crowded. But with Ben all Rey wanted was a quiet drink at the bar. Maybe a chance to actually talk to him. Even if their hearts were both locked up, duct tape bound, buried in cement blocks. She’d let him start chipping away at her if he wanted. 

So far it didn’t seem like that was what he wanted. 

Which was fine. 

It was. 

Ben Solo could keep being a dark and brooding, handsome mystery if he wanted to be. 

Rey groaned and caught Poe’s eye. The man gave her a commiserating look as he finished a martini and handed it off to a woman who was desperately attempting to flirt with him. 

“Can I refill you, honey?” Poe glanced down at Rey’s empty beer. “Standup drinks are on the house.”

“It’s not really a standup if it’s not really a date.”

“Considering the two of you… it’s the perpetually lonely equivalent of a date. So,” Poe clicked his tongue. “It counts.”

Rey stared down at the glass.  _ You know what? Screw him. I am not being alone and miserable tonight.  _ “You have any of that whiskey?”

Poe raised an eyebrow and chuckled. “Am I finally going to see trashed Rey?”

“You’ve seen me trashed. Remember? The Christmas party?”

“No, _ no _ , I don’t remember. How do  _ you _ remember?” 

Rey shrugged and Poe held out his hand. “Keys, please. And you’re not going home with anyone but me tonight, got it?”

“Oh, Poe. You sure know how to woo a lady.” Rey fished her keys out of her pocket and handed them to Poe. He poured her two shots of her favorite whiskey. 

Rey took them back to back before turning in her seat to stake out the bar. The pool tables were full, as were the dartboards. There had been one guy eyeing her since she walked in. He was handsome in a cute, nice guy kind of way. She searched the bar until she found him with a beer in his hands. He was looking at her… No, not at her. Rey followed the man’s line of sight to Poe and grinned. 

If she couldn’t get laid, maybe her friend could. Rey turned back to the bar and plucked the whiskey from where Poe had left it (within her reach- a horrible idea, really). She leaned over the bar to clean one and refilled them both. 

“Rey!” Poe hissed and grabbed the whiskey bottle from her. “I’m going to have to watch you, aren’t I?”

“Oh, definitely,” Rey giggled. “But you’ll thank me later?”

“Thank you for what?”

Rey ignored Poe’s question as she carefully made her way through the bar to the man checking Poe out. He was with a few other people, but out of their conversation enough that Rey could slide up to the high top table beside him. “Hey!”

The man gave her a double-take as if he couldn’t believe Rey was talking to him.

“Yes, you. Here.” Rey pushed the clean (at least she hoped it was the clean one) shot glass at him. “This is for you.”

“It is?” The man eyed it suspiciously. He had a light voice without that southern twang. Definitely from up North. Definitely not from around here. 

“It is. I didn’t do anything weird, I promise.” Rey grinned. “I work here actually. And I saw you checking out my friend at the bar.”

She looked back at Poe and the man followed her gaze. “I’m Rey.”

A pink blush had appeared on his cheeks and he quickly took the shot from her. “Finn.”

Rey raised her glass to him and he followed suit. 

Three shots in. 

“Do you know how to line dance?” Rey set her glass down on the table.

“No, not even a little bit.” 

“I’ll be your wingman if you dance with me.”

“Ah…” Finn glanced back at the bar, unconvinced. “Are you sure he’s-”

“I really wish I wasn’t so sure.” Rey laughed. “He’s very open about it. His name’s Poe.”

“Poe.” Finn’s blush deepened. “Fine. How do I line dance?”

Rey squealed and grabbed his hand. She pulled him to the dance floor as Luke Bryan started singing  _ All My Friends Say  _ over the speakers. By the end of the song, Finn had a basic four-step under his belt. He was good for a city boy at least. 

They danced for one more song before Rey took her new friend’s hand and pulled him towards the bar. “You want another shot?”

Finn grinned. “Sure!”

Poe rolled his eyes with a grin as Rey appeared at the bar. He’d taken away her bottle, so Rey waved her hand across the bar until Poe came to serve them. “You are the worst patron. You aren’t even going to tip me are you?”

“Mmmmm. No. But,” Rey leaned forward to tell him in a stage whisper. “I made a friend.”

“You did?” Poe eyed Finn over Rey’s shoulder and Finn gave Poe a sheepish smile and wave. Poe returned with a small nod. “How about I get you some water, sweetie.”

“Nope. Two shots, please. And two more for my friend.” Rey grinned. She felt alive tonight and already moving beyond the point of tipsy. She couldn’t remember the last time she just had fun. College, maybe? That one time with Poe. And the pineapple.  _ Pineapple Poe. Pen pineapple apple poe. _

Poe shook his head and brought up four glasses. “Fine, but next round is a water or you’re going to hate yourself.”

“Bold of you to assume,” Rey took one shot. “That I already don’t.”

_ Where’d that come from? _ Poe gave her a sad look and Rey tried to shake it away. That was one can of worms she did not want to get into tonight. Rey turned back to Finn.

“This is Finn, by the way. Finn, this is Poe.”

Poe gave Finn a once over and smiled. “Nice to meet you.”

Rey grinned, her job done for the night, which called for another round of whiskey. “Shots, please.”

Poe sighed and quickly poured more shots for the two of them. Rey downed hers with ease as one of her favorite Shania Twain songs came on, blasting over the speakers. She squealed loudly and downed her second shot. “I love this song! You want to dance more?”

She didn’t give Finn much of a choice as she took his hand and dragged him back out onto the dance floor. Singing, “Man, I feel like a woman!”

Rey stumbled over her feet, laughing as Finn tried to keep up with everyone around him. They eventually gave up line dancing and Rey took his hand again to twirl beneath his arm. It was only then coming in the door across the room that Rey spotted them. Every bone in her froze as a sober cold squeezed the life from her heart. 

She had hoped that her past was behind her. That she could stop running, but as she watched the two men saunter into the bar, she knew that was not the case. Them coming here could not be a coincidence. Plutt had been looking for her and it seemed that he had found her. 

“Rey?” 

Rey jumped and looked over at Finn who had stopped dancing and was staring at the same men. “Do you know those guys?”

She cleared her throat, shaking her head. “No, no. Sorry. I just got a little dizzy. I think I need some fresh air. I’ll be back in a bit.”

The men had reached the bar and were waiting for their drinks. She couldn’t get into the back rooms without one of them noticing her. And if she tried to sneak out the front, there was a chance that they would see her if they just turned around. That left the patio exit that looked out over the river. There wasn’t a way off the patio, but the drop to the highest ground was only six or so feet. She could walk home. Call Poe when she got there and explain. 

Rey hurried for the patio door, trying to gently push through the crowd and not draw attention. The cool night air hit her and Rey hurried towards the edge of the patio. It was dimly lit out here, with only a few people looking over the river and smoking cigarettes. Rey peered over the railing. Okay. Maybe it was a bit more than six feet. Ten maybe. She didn’t know if she should be thankful for the shots that were hitting her in full force, but they definitely made it easier to think that this was a smart idea. Rey climbed carefully over the edge of the patio and lowered herself until she was in a dead hang and about to throw up all over herself. The ground beneath her was still a good four feet away and nothing more than a muddy slope towards the river filled with bushes and rocks. 

_ Just drop into a crouch, Niima. Come on. You were a kid once. You know how to jump off of things.  _

Rey let go and hit the ground hard. It was a much bigger fall than she anticipated and she was far more gone than she thought. She felt her ankle give out and roll as she fell to her side, landing in bushes and mud. 

“Ow.” 

This was not how her night was supposed to go. Rey slowly pushed herself to her feet and tested out her ankle wincing slightly. Either it wasn’t badly injured or alcohol and adrenaline were doing their jobs. Rey made her way up the small but steep hill to the parking lot, slipping a few times and cursing under her breath. She paused at the corner of the building and looked around the parking lot. There were a few cars pulling out, a few pulling in, and a couple of people heading in for the bar. 

Her instincts told her to stay in the shadows, but the main parking lot was huge and butted right up against the river wall. She’d have to cross it at some point. And then it would be a mile walk across town in the middle of the night with a bum foot. She could sneak around the front to the kitchen doors and get into the back rooms that way. They’d let her in if she banged on the door long enough. 

Rey double-checked the bar’s entrance for signs of the two men and hobbled as fast as she could to the other side of the building. The back door was by the dumpsters and she could already hear the sounds of the bar and the kitchens through it. Rey banged on the door with a fist. She waited a few seconds before trying again. No luck. 

“Looks like tonight’s not your night, Kira.” A low Texas drawl came around the corner and Rey found herself frozen again as the two men rounded the corner. Devi put his cowboy hat back on as his cat eyes watched her. His friend prowled just behind him, a lookout and a backup in case she tried to run. “He’s been looking for you.”

Rey kept her hand on the door. With the river at her back and the dumpsters blocking her free side, there was nowhere to run. She knew exactly what Devi and Strunk were capable of and they knew she wouldn’t go without a fight. Rey turned and banged at the door one more time. Devi was on her in seconds. His hands gripped her shoulders, yanking her away from the door. Rey grabbed back, hiking her knee up to nail him in the groin. He grunted painfully and loosened his grip, letting Rey tear herself from his hands and step back to knee him again. The man fell to his knees, but before she could land a final blow, Struck charged at her. Rey fell to the ground under his weight, the breath knocked out of her. Her ankle twisted painfully. Rey let out of wheezing yelp as Struck’s hand clamped over her mouth. 

They had fallen just inches away from where the gravel fell away to the river bank, a good ten feet below. If only she could get leverage, she could toss him headfirst into the ravine. But her lungs were screaming and her muscles were weak with drink and the hand over her mouth and nose were spotting her vision with black. She was seconds away from passing out. Seconds away from waking tied up in the back of a car on her way to the man she wished were dead. 

Until the Struck’s weight was off of her and fresh air rushed into her lungs. Rey sputtered, turning to her side as she coughed, bile rising in her throat. She could barely register grunts and yelps in the background. A crunch and a terrible scream. Rey spewed her drinks all over the gravel and fell back to the ground. 

“Rey!”

She tried to blink through the haze, to see the owner of the familiar comforting voice, now harsh and deep and angry. She moaned pitifully but didn’t protest as a familiar scent surrounded her. Two strong arms picked her up from the ground. 

_ Safe now. _

“Ben…”

“You’re safe now, Rey. I’m going to get you out of here. Take you home, okay? Can you tell me where you live?”

Rey twisted her face deeper into the warmth carrying her. She could feel herself slipping into unconsciousness, her fingers just barely finding purchase in soft flannel. “Don’t let them take me. Don’t leave me.”

“Shhh. Fuck. I’m not letting them take you anywhere. Stay with me, Rey.”

Rey let the darkness take over. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: Depiction of Assault/Attempted kidnapping
> 
> Begins after Rey sees two men walk into the bar. Rey tries escaping but injures herself jumping from the bar's deck area. She's too drunk to drive so she tries to make it to the back door but is caught by the two men. Rey puts up a fight when they try to kidnap her. Ben shows up last minute and helps her fend them off.


End file.
